Just the random thoughts and reviews from an interesting mind.

Tag Archives: Recipe

This is a meal that will be a hit at any gathering! It is delicious with subtle flavors (suit to taste of course!) and definitely filling. I hope you enjoy!

Moo Shu Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredient List:

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Dry Sherry or Shaoxing Rice Wine (you do not have to use this if you do not have it.)

2 tsp Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt (or to taste!)

2 large Eggs

3/4 c Bamboo Shoots (drain water from can)

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

1 tbsp Gingerroot (fresh, chopped)

1 tbsp Garlic (chopped)

8 oz Mushrooms (equals 1 1/12 c – sliced)

1 c Carrots (shredded)

4 oz Firm Tofu (drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 c Napa Cabbage (shredded)

3 tbsp Green Onions (chopped)

2 tsp Asian Sesame Oil

What to do:

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, sugar and salt into a small bowl. Stir well until it is a smooth sauce. Set aside. In another bowl,lightly beat eggs. Set aside.

Stack bamboo shoots two or three high and then cut them lengthwise into strips. Set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add ginger and garlic to the oil and toss well, until fragrant (about 15 seconds should do the trick.)

Add mushrooms and toss well. Spread out the mushrooms until they are a single layer and cook, undisturbed for about 30 seconds. Add in the carrots, tofu and bamboo shoots and toss. Cook until carrots and mushrooms are softened while tossing occasionally, generally about 1 minute. Add the cabbage and toss again. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until tender-crisp (that means it still has that bite, but is softer to the mouth hole. You can add a tbsp or 2 as need to keep it from burning.)

Push vegetables to the side and pour the eggs into the center of the pan. Swirl the pan around spreading as much of the eggs as possible and then cook for about 30 seconds. Toss those around a bit to create the scrambled eggs we all love and then mix in the vegetables, but do so gently.

Stir the soy sauce mix one more time and then add to the pan. Toss it well and allow the veggies to soak up the sauce for about 1 minute. Add the green onions and the sesame oil, toss around and then transfer to a plate/bowl.

As a vegetarian, I love to share all the little recipes that I find so you can enjoy them as well! Tonight (aka this morning since it is almost 4am!) I am giving you one of the tastiest and nahmmy things on the planet.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sour cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in 3/4 cup of the sliced strawberries.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas, slathering each portion in the lower third of each tortilla. Next, fold the two sides of each tortilla toward the center and then roll the tortilla up like a burrito and secure it with a toothpick. Repeat the rolling process with the remaining tortillas.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set it aside. Line a large plate with paper towels.

Add 3 inches of oil to a large, deep saucepan, leaving a minimum of 2 inches from the top of the oil to the top of the saucepan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 360ºF on a deep-fry thermometer.

Working in batches, fry the chimichangas until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes, flipping them as needed. Transfer the chimichangas to the paper towel-lined plate to drain for 1 minute, and then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Repeat the frying and rolling process with the remaining chimichangas, returning the oil to 360ºF between batches.

Remove all toothpicks from the chimichangas and transfer them to serving plates. Top each with a portion of the remaining 1 cup of sliced strawberries and serve immediately.

The cold days are coming friends and we all know what that means. Soup. Soup is the greatest thing on the planet to me. Y’all need to understand. I love soup. I would rather eat soup than anything else. It is a part of my “ooooh liquid” thing that I have. Don’t ask. For the love of all that is Holy DO NOT ASK! Okay, you may ask.

See, I have an obsession with Liquid Food Stuffs. My stomach being the doof that it is handles “solid” foods like well….. It doesn’t. I can eat solids of course (cough cough fries) but in the end I feel like someone punched me in the gut. *shrugs* Talked to doctors about it and all. They have NO CLUE what is going on. But I am getting off topic.

Today, I thought I would share with you a few of my go to “soup” ideas to get you started on your cold day, soup nomming journey.

Oh and be sure to stick around until the end. I have something very important to say.

Loaded Potato Soup

4 medium red potatoes

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 c prechopped onion

1 1/4 c chicken broth

2 tbs all purpose flour

2 c milk divided

1/4 c sour cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 bacon slices, cooked and chopped

1.5 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (that means about 1/3 of a cup y’all)

4 tsp green onions, thinly sliced

Note: You can use the reduced fat/low fat options of the dairy involved to reduce the amount of fatty stuffs in the soup!

Pierce the potatoes with a fork and put them in the microwave for about 13 minutes on high. Let those puppies nuke until they are fork tender. When done, cut them in half and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add your onions and allow them to saute for about 3 minutes. Then add your broth. Take 1/2 cup of your milk and mix it into the flour. This is the thickener y’all! Add it into the saucepan and stir thoroughly. Then add the rest of the milk (1 1/2 c.) Bring it to a boil while stirring constantly. When it hits a good bubble, allow it to cook for 1 minute. Remove it from the heat, then add the sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper.

Remove the skins from the potatoes and coarsely mash those little nuggets of deliciousness into the milk/broth mixture. top with the bacon, the green onions and by all means, add more cheese!

This is a pretty easy and quick way of making potato soup!

ON TO THE NEXT ONE!

French Onion Soup

2 tsp Olive Oil

4 c sweet onion, thinly sliced

4 c red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c dry white wine (optional)

8 c beef broth

1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

8 slices of French Bread, sliced and cut into 1-inch cubes

8 oz Swiss Cheese, Sliced

Note: No you do not have to use the sugar or the wine. When they come up in the recipe, just skip it. 🙂

Heat your olive oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to the pan and saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the sugar, pepper and salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 20 minutes while stirring frequently.

Increase the heat to medium-high again, saute for another 5 minutes or until the onion is golden brown and yummy. Stir in the wine, cook for 1 minute and then add the broth and thyme. Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2 hours. (Yes friends, this one takes a bit of time but ERMERGERD it is worth it!)

Begin preheating your broiler. Place the bread cubes upon a baking sheet in a single layer. Broil those buggers for 2 minutes or until they are toasty. But make sure that you turn them after the first minute. You don’t want them to be crunchy on one side and squishy on the other!

Place 8 oven proof bowls into a baking pan that has a high enough side that keeps the bowls in without them falling all over the floor. Trust me on this y’all. I have broken many a bowl.

Ladle in 1 cup of soup into each bowl, then cover with one slice of cheese per bowl. Broil for 2 or 3 minutes or until the cheese gets that slight brown color that is so delicious.

Take them out of the oven and allow to “cool” for 5 minutes before serving.

I do hope that you all enjoy the 2 recipes that I have shared today. But I want to hear about your favorite soups! Share them in the comments below! I am always looking for a new addition to my soup book!

Now for the important stuff.

I know that I have been a bit MIA lately, and I am truly sorry for that. I am not going to go into details because it is just life in general and is nothing that I can’t take care of! That and the fact that I (not to sound mean) don’t want anyone’s sympathy. There is way too much stuff going on in this world that we need to focus on, so I won’t add mine to that list. 🙂

But, I do want to say this.

For all of you that have subscribed to my blog, and for all of you that have stuck by me, Thank You. Truly. From the very bottom of my heart. You all keep me going, and keep me smiling. It means so much to come on here and see that someone has appreciated what I have said/done. And considering how many of you are on here now (which blows my mind!) I know that I am helping people. But I am not the only one. YOU are helping ME!

There is nothing in this world that can express how much I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you just doesn’t even cut it. Ugh, I am tearing up again. *takes breath*

Anyway, y’all remember. All of us can make a difference. All of us can do something good in this world. Be that one person that shines a light of love and peace into these dark times.

I know that I haven’t posted much and I do hope that all of you will forgive me for that. I haven’t been feeling good the last few days. But hey, it happens and it doesn’t mean that I don’t love y’all. So to make up a bit for it, I am sharing this recipe.

Line an 8 inch square pan with tin foil, or parchment paper. It is all your preference.

Put the chocolate and the milk into a sauce pan and place on the stove that is on the LOWEST SETTING IMAGINABLE. Don’t need to rush this one kiddies, otherwise you might end up with some nasty bark type stuff. We don’t want that. Stir until it is smooth and the chocolate is all melty goodness. Oh, and don’t lick the spoon yet. That stuff is like lava heated to the temp of the sun and your tongue will melt off in a frenzy of awfulness. Just sayin’

Remove from heat and add the vanilla and nuts (if you want nuts that is.)

Spread evenly in the pan that you have lined. Spread it good. (Insert Devo music here as I dance around like an idiot.)

Cover with foil and put into the fridge for about 2 or so hours. Just until it is firm. Then remove from the pan. (Which is pretty easy due to the foil/paper! Just lift!)

Pull off the foil and then cut into blocks or chunks or just eat it whole. This is all up to you. 🙂 I would vote for chunks. That way you don’t gets a tummy ache.

Just eat it, eat it, eat it, eat it. Get yourself an egg and beat it Um… Sorry. I am in music mode y’all. I’m done.

Like this:

Hello friends! I hope that all of you are doing well. I just have to tell you about this recipe that I just adore. The very thought of spending a sh*t ton of money for “REAL” butter causes me to want to pound my head into a wall. I went to the store yesterday and saw Land O Lakes “real butter” priced at 5 bucks. 5 BUCKS people. That is atrocious. I can still remember buying a huge freakin’ slab of it that would last for a whole money for not even a dollar. *sighs*

So in my disappointment and sticker shock, I started thinking about HOW butter is made. WHY can I not just make it at home? The more I thought about it, the more my brain slurped up the very idea. It was like Red Bull for the noggin! I started researching the whole concept. I looked up recipes, the how to’s. You know you are desperate when you are looking for “butter” tutorials. Well I am desperate. I love me some real butter.

So here it is my friends. I share with you now the recipe to end all recipes.

HOMEMADE BUTTER!!!!!

1 quart heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt

Pour cream into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add salt. Cover mixer with a towel–trust me on this one, it will be messy! Turn mixer on high.
Continue mixing, checking on mixture frequently. It will first turn to whipped cream, then begin to get grainy and separate into butter and buttermilk, and the splashing will get much worse. The butter is ready when it sticks in a clump to the paddle
Place a colander (AKA the HOLY BOWL!) over a bowl, then strain the buttermilk off of the butter.
Using your hands or a spatula, press out excess buttermilk under cold running water until water runs clear. Shape into stick or ball. Butter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

My friends, I hope that your day has been filled with joy and sweet things. I have spent most of today sleeping to be honest, the heat does that to me sometimes. I guess it does that to everyone. 😀 Anyway, I wanted to share something tasty with you today, something that is beyond yummy. Beyond delicious. TO INFINITY!!! AND BEYOND! *coughs and shakes her head* What just happened? Did I get possessed by Buzz Lightyear again? ANYWHO! Here ya go my lovelies and I hope that you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly alternative (60g)

8 oz cream cheese, such as Daiya or Tofutti

2 cups powdered sugar or Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar (300g)

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (75g)

Instructions:

Bring both the cream cheese and peanut butter to room temperature (to a stir-able consistency), then mix together with a spoon in a deep bowl, adding the powdered sugar gradually. Add in the vanilla, and mix until a smooth and even consistency is reached. Spoon onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, then bring the sides up and twist very tightly to form something of a ball shape. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm enough that the plastic wrap can be removed without the ball falling apart. Place chocolate chips in a large bowl or ziploc bag, then roll the cheeseball until evenly coated with chocolate chips. Freeze until ready to serve (or refrigerate if not serving until the next day). Serve with graham crackers, sliced fruit, or anything else you think goes well with chocolate chips and peanut butter. (Keep in mind that you can also roll it in other yumminess! Tiny Marshmallows, White Chocolate Chips, Walnuts! You name it, you can do it. Well, don’t put something weird like small farm animals or eyeballs. That wouldn’t taste good.)

I don’t know about y’all but I love me a good cheese ball. Even if it is a dessert one. YUM YUM YUM! I hope that y’all enjoy it and by all means, share your recipes with us in the comments below! We would all love to hear them!